Apparatus for pressure release.



H. H. HOUSE & C E. BRUNELLE. APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE RELEASE. APPLJCATIONFILED JAN.30.19I5.

1, 181 ,450. Patented May 2,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES! INVENTORS ATTORNEY THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., wAsHlNuTON,D. C.

H. H. HOUSE & C. E. BRUNELLE. APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE RELEASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1915.

'1 l 8 1 ,450, Patented May 2, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

y F/. 6 I 1 f if WITNESSES/: INVENTORS i 4W1 CZ! E: e

ATTORNEY THE COLUMBIA PMNOURAPH ,c0., WASHINGTON,. D. 0

m'rnn s'rn'rns PATENT enema.

HUDSON H. HOUSE AND CHARLES E. BRUNELL-E, 0F PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE RELEASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed January 30, 1915. Serial No. 5,237.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HUDSON H. I-IoUsE andCHARLES E. BRUNELLE, citizens of the United States, and residents ofPeekskill, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Apparatus for Pressure Release, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for automatically stopping railroadtrains; and has for its object an apparatus that shall operate to setthe air-brakes of a train through the means of electrical currentstransmitted to the train from the side of the track.

The object is attained by the means set forth in this specification andthe accompanying drawings, in which like letters and figures refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is an end elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a rear sideelevation of the apparatus, showing the air valve in partial section.Fig. 3 is a plan of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, showingthe air cylinder in section. Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing theparts of the apparatus in position for opening the release valve. Fig. 6is a front elevation showing the positions of the movable parts when thepressure is off the brake system, after the apparatus has acted. Fig. 7shows a section of the release valve. Figs. 1 and 2 are upon a somewhatlarger scale than the other figures.

There are devices for placing on or by railroad tracks, for sendingelectric signals onto passing trains for operating various devices, suchas closing the steam throttle, or setting the air-brakes.

This invention relates particularly to the setting of the air-brakesthrough the means of such current transmitting devices, but it has noimmediate connection with such devices in the claims to be made herein.The action of this apparatus is dependent upon the closing of athree-way shut-0E in the main air supply pipe to. the air-brake systemof a train, the shut-off being electrically controlled; the three-wayshut-0E having a side outlet from the side of the shut-01f next the airsupply tank, so that when the shut-ofi' is closed it-will supply acurrent of air from the supply tank to actuate this apparatus.

In all the figures shown the pipe m is the main air supply pipe from theair supply tank, to the brake system.

As particularly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the valve 22 is the mainengineers brake valve. which is under the control of the engineer:Between th1s valve and the air supply tank 1s a three-way stop 8 that isproperly located between the engineers brake valve and the tank;otherwise, closing the brake valve would render the three-way stopinefifective. The three-way stop is operated with a bellcrank lever a,held in a normally open positlon by means of an armature 31 engaging, asat 52, with the end 33 of the crank lever. A spring 1) anchored at 34connects with the short arm of the crank lever. A current through themagnet 30 will withdraw the armature from engagement with the end 33 ofthe crank lever, and the spring will pull the lever and close the stop,carrying the lever to the position of the broken line 20. A distinctivemeans for closing this three-way stop does not constitute a part of thisinvention.

In Fig. 4, which is partly in section, the apparatus will be seen tocomprise a cylinder a that has direct connection as at 11, wlth the mainair pipe :20. A piston 12, in the cylinder, through the piston rod 13,the link 6 and the pins 0', 0 has connection with the rocking arm I).The cylinder is an integral part of a frame comprising a base 3 and asuper-base 2. Central of the super-base is a standard 9 slotted to carrya block j. On the end of the super-base opposite the cylinder is astandard 10 slotted to receive a sliding nut i. The arm I) is fast tothe shaft 6, and the shaft constitutes a central pivotal support for thearm, the shaft having its bearing in the sliding block 7'. The nut 2' inthe standard 10 is actuated by the screw 0 which screws through the nut.The nut is connected with the rocking arm 6 through the link 6 and thepins 0 c. The screw has a journal bearing in the base c at 15, and uponits lower end is a worm wheel 7. Upon the base 3 a fan-motor d issecured. Upon the end of the motor shaft h is a worm pinion g engagedwith the wheel f. Rotating the motor causes a turning of the screw, andthe consequent moving of the nut 0 up or down in its slot; the directionof movement of the nut depending upon the direction of rotation of themotor.

In the cylinder a, Figs. 4, 5 and 6 there is shown above the piston 12 aspring a. Normally the piston occupies the position shown in Fig. 4, byreason of the air pressure that prevails in the air-brake system. lVhenthe pressure falls in the cylinder, as it does whenever the pressurefalls in the air-brake system, the spring pushes the piston downaccordingly. Fig. 6 shows the position of the piston when there is nopressure under the piston. When the piston falls and the nut 71 does notmove, the pin 0 becomes the pivot for'the rocking-arm 7).

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 disclose the parts of the apparatus that are attachedto the rear of the base 3 adjacent to the standard 15, which standard issecured to the base y. An air valve fast to the base, is connected tothe main air pipe as by the branch pipe w. The outlet of the valve is at18. A lever m is attached to the valve stem 0 and this lever engageswith an arm Z that is secured to the shaft 16. The engagement of the twolevers is by means of a stud n on the arm Z passing through a slot 19 inthe lever on. Swinging the arm rotates the valve causing the valve toopen or close.

A section of the valve 6 is shown in Fig. 7. It is a rotary valve andthe seat 7 is shown to be perforated with a narrow radial slot a and thevalve is has a corresponding perforation n. The normal position of thevalve with reference to the valve seat is as shown, closed, and adaptedto be opened by turning only in one direction. The pivotal shaft 6 isnot a stationary pivot for the rocking arm 6. If the screw end of thearm be lowered, the block j and the shaft 6 will also drop, the pin 0,becoming the pivot upon which the arm moves. How this is accomplishedwill be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 3. At the rear of thebase i is the standard 15, and through the top of the standard is ashaft 16 that alines with the shaft 6 when the latter shaft is at thetop of the standard 9. The shafts 6 and 16 are connected by telescopingparts 1 and at the part 4 entering the part 4: and the respectivetelescoping parts are connected with the end shafts by the universalcouplings 1 and 5. A stud 2 in the part 4 engages in a slot 3 in thepart 4. In lowering the rockingarm 5 the telescoping of the shaftsadmits of the lengthening of the shaft, and the univei'sal couplingsadmit of the rotation of the shafts in the angular positions produced bythe changes in the positions of the rockingarm. The broken line 10 inFig. 1 indicates the most acute angle the shafts will assume,

which will occur when the nut i is at its lowermost position, as in Fig.6, and the piston 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 6.

Figs. 2, 3, 4 show the air pipe connections with the motor. Vhen thestop 8 is closed the air is cut off from the brake system, and at theinstant of the closing the stop opens an outlet through the pipe 79,which sets the motor in motion, actuating the worm gear ing and thescrew 0, causing the lowering of the screw end of the rocking-arm b, andthe consequent turning of the shafts 6 and 16, which swings the arm Zand lever m to the left, as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 5, openingthe valve 6. Opening the valve 6 releases the pressure from the airbrake system. Following the loss of pressure under the piston 12, thepiston will be depressed by the suitably adapted spring a, as in Fig. 6,which has theeffect of closing the valve 6 to give a proper reduction ofthe air pressure regardless of the volume of the air in the pipes. Thisvalve will be closed whenever the rocking-arm is in a horizontalposition. Air from the pipe 29 will cause a turning of the screw 0 in adirection to lower the nut i. Air from the pipe q will reverse themotion of the motor and cause the screw to carry the nut to the top ofthe standard 10. The air currents from the pipes 27 and Q will havesuflicient force to turn the motor when the nut 2' is free to move, butwill not have force enough to do any harm when the motor becomes stalledby the nut reaching the limits of its travels.

lVith this description of the various parts of this apparatus, theaction will be clear. An electric current being transmitted to thetrain, the current will actuate the armature 31 to release the stoplever to. The closing of the stop causes a flow of air under pressurethrough the pipe 19 to the motor (Z. The action of the motor lowers thenut i, Fig. 5 showing the nut on the Way downward, and that the effectis to lower its end of the arm 7), turning the shafts 6 and 16, movingthe arm Z and the lever M as shown by broken lines, causing the valve 6to open and release the air pressure from the brake system, thus settingthe brakes. As the air pressure leaves the brake system the piston inthe cylinder will be depressed by the spring above it, until the severalparts are in the positions shown in Fig. 6. Air will continue to blowthrough the motor with a noise that will attract the attention of theengineer who will regain control of the apparatus by resetting the stop8. Opening the valve 7" will start the motor in a direction to restorethe nut i to its normal position, as in Figs. 1, 2 and a, and theapparatus will again be ready for action.

This apparatus can be used in connection is more for the purpose ofclearness of description than for adoption in manufacture.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. The combination in an automatic apparatus for setting the air brakesof a train, of a signal controlled three-way valve in the main airsupply pipe, a cylinder connected with the said main air pipe, the

rocking arm, a piston in the cylinder to operate one end of the rockingarm, a spring in the cylinder above the piston, a central standard and ascrew standard, a nut and a screw in the nut working in a standard thenut connected with the other end of the rocking arm, a central pivotalshaft in said arm, the said rocking-arm adapted to rock upon either ofthree pivots, a bearing for the shaft in the arm vertically movable insaid central standard between the cylinder and the screw standard, aworm wheel on the lower end of the screw, an air motor, a worm pinion onthe shaft of the motor engaging with the worm wheel on the screw, a pipeconnection from the three-way valve to the motor to supply air to turnthe motor in a direction to lower the nut on the screw, a pipeconnection from the main pipe to supply air to drive the motor in adirection to elevate the nut on the screw, an air outlet valve connectedwith the main air pipe, a standard contiguous to the said outlet valvealined with the central support of the rocking-arm, a shaft in the upperend of the standard, an arm on the outer end of the shaft, a lever onthe valve stem said lever engaging with the said arm on the shaft, and atelescoping section of shaft and universal couplings uniting the saidshaft with the shaft in the rocking arm.

2. In an apparatus for automatic pressure release, a cylinder to whichthe pressure is admitted, a piston in the cylinder responsive to thepressure, a spring above the piston, a rocking-arm and a sliding centralpivot for the arm, a flexible shaft with a bearing in the sliding blockthat constitutes the central pivot for the arm, one end of the rockingarm connected with the piston in the cylinder, an outlet valve from thepressure system, a lever on said valve, a standard, a bearing for theouter end of said flexible shaft mounted in said standard contiguous tothe outlet valve, an arm on the outer end of said flexible shaft the armengaging with the lever on the outlet valve, a sliding nut, the otherend of the rocking arm connected with the sliding nut, a screw throughthe nut, and means for automatically operating the screw.

8. In an apparatus for automatic pressure release the combination with apiston responsive to the pressure, a rocking-arm connected with thepiston, and an outlet valve operated through the rocking arm, the meansfor operating the valve-opening end of the rocking-arm, comprising asliding nut connected with the rocking arm, a screw through the nut, afixed bearing for the screw, and means for automatically turning thescrew.

- 4. In an apparatus for an automatic pressure release, the combinationwith a piston responsive to the pressure, an outlet valve, and a rockingarm through which the outlet valve is operated connected with thepiston, means for raising and lowering one end of the rocking arm,comprising a screw and a nut, a fixed bearing for the screw, and meansfor turning the screw comprising an air motor, gearing connecting themotor and the screw, a three-way valve in the pressure main, and a pipeconnection from one outlet of said valve to the air motor.

5. In an apparatus for automatic pressure release the combination with apiston responsive to the pressure, an outlet valve and a rocking arm foroperating the outlet valve connected with the piston at one end, meansfor raising and lowering the other end of the said arm, comprising asliding nut connected with the said arm, a screw through the nut, afixed bearing for the screw, an air motor, gearing connecting the motorand the screw, a three-way valve in the pressure main, a pipe connectionfrom one outlet of the three-way valve to the air motor to drive themotor in one direction, and a separate pipe connection from the main tothe motor and a valve in said separate pipe to drive the motor in anopposite direction.

6. In an automatic pressure release the combination with an outletvalve, a rocking arm, means connecting the valve with the rocking arm, apiston connected with one end of the rocking arm the piston beingmounted in a cylinder connected with the pressure system, the pistonmoving in accordance with the pressure, a spring above the pistonopposed to the pressure in the system, the piston operating to close theoutlet valve.

Signed at Peekskill, in the county of Westchester and State of New York,this 23rd day of January, A. D. 1915.

HUDSON H. HOUSE. CHAS. E. BRUNELLE.

Witnesses:

ELI CoNKLIN, HARRY A. PURDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

